The Gatekeeper, by Victor Ostrovsky

In every intelligence operation, there's a field of play—an actual physical location where the action takes place. This zone is controlled by an operative known as The Gatekeeper who's stationed above the scene of the operation where he can observe all happenings. Imagine a case officer meeting an agent when the gatekeeper notices suspicious cars stopping a block away. The gatekeeper can warn colleagues and issue defensive instructions. Outside the window in this painting are the stone and brick streets of Jaffa, Israel, one of the most ancient port cities in the world.